Beverage dispensing apparatus having articulating basket holding arms for baskets having varying dimensions

ABSTRACT

The present invention involves a grinder/brewer coffee beverage dispensing apparatus having a pair of basket support arms with front end portions adapted to grasp beverage baskets and a configuration essentially complimentary to the circular shapes of beverage baskets. The arms are pivotally mounted for simultaneous horizontal and vertical movement with respect to the frame of the beverage dispensing apparatus, permitting the arms to graps baskets having varying flange widths and diameters.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a beverage dispensing apparatus whichhas a container in which the solid ingredients are mixed with a liquidtransported to the container and more particularly with a beveragedispensing apparatus having a pair of arms to grasp a container in whichthe solid ingredients of the beverage are mixed with the liquidingredients.

Beverage dispensing apparatus such as coffee brewers generally areprovided with arms or slots to support the lip of the brewing basketinto which the hot water is distributed over the ground coffee spreadtherein. Typical consumer coffee makers today have slots formed by apair of guide rails into which the flange of a brew basket is positionedwhen the basket is filled with ground coffee. The rails are positionedon either side of the hot water dispensing openings in the underneathsurface of the brewer. The top surface of the flange is placed into anabutting engagement with the underneath surface of the coffee maker tominimize the escape of water vapor when in operation. Consequently,consumers ordinarily must purchase replacement baskets specificallydesigned for the coffee maker.

There have been attempts in the designs of grinders primarily designedfor the commercial or restaurant market to accommodate for varyingdiameter of the baskets as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,758 issuedJan. 16, 1990 and assigned to Bunn-O-Matic. This patent disclose the useof a pair of leaf springs that flex apart upon insertion of a baskettherebetween and due to the complimentary shape of the springs with theexternal surface of the basket. The structure of the leaf springapparatus permits the insertion of baskets having varying diameters.This is important contribution since there is no universal standard forthe size of brewing baskets and it becomes awkward if an operator has tomanually adjust the arms to accept baskets whenever the diameterchanges. Additionally, this type of arm configuration does not create aneed to contain the steam emanating from the brewing operation when hotwater is distributed over the ground coffee.

The prior art, however, does not address the twin problems of varyingflange widths and basket diameters. If a basket with a flange of a widthgreater than the width of the slots defined by guide rails is used in aguide rail design, then the only solution is to manually adjust theguide rails to increase the width of the slots. This is usually notpractical. With arm support designs, the arms must be repositionedmanually or else the basket flange will not be accepted by the apparatusor be ill positioned with respect to the underneath surface of thebrewing apparatus. Similarly, brew baskets unfortunately are notstandardized, thus the distance between rails is often insufficient toaccommodate a brew basket, for example, that is larger than the oneusually purchased and accompanying the brewer.

Thus, a paramount object of the present invention is to provide for abeverage dispensing device in which the support arms for a beveragemixing basket can accept baskets with wide diameter ranges whilesimultaneously accepting wide ranges of baskets in which the top flangewidth also may vary.

It is another object of the present invention to provide for a beveragedispensing device having support arms that can articulate horizontallyand vertically.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for simpleconstruction of beverage basket support arms that can articulatehorizontally and vertically while maintaining the basket in a centeredposition beneath the beverage dispenser.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide for simpleconstruction of beverage basket support arms that can accommodatebeverage baskets of varying diameter and support flanges whilemaintaining an effective seal against the escape of steam emanating whenhot water is being distributed over the solid ingredients in the basket.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide for aconstruction of a beverage basket support sub-assembly that is botheasily positioned within the housing of an apparatus for the preparationof a beverage and that includes beverage basket support arms that canpivot about both a vertical and horizontal axis so as to receivebeverage baskets of differing diameters and flange thicknesses.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention involves a grinder/brewer coffee beveragedispensing apparatus having a sub-assembly including a pair of basketsupport arms that can be easily inserted and removed from the apparatus.The basket support arms have front portions adapted to grasp beveragebaskets and a configuration essentially complimentary to the circularshapes of beverage baskets. The arms are pivotally mounted forsimultaneous horizontal and vertical movement with respect to the frameof the beverage dispensing apparatus, and provide for a seal about thebasket when in position to minimize the escape of moisture during mixingirrespective of the thickness of the flange lip of the beverageapparatus. The front portions of the arms are biased toward one anotherin the horizontal plane and together with a supporting frame structureupward toward the underneath surface of the apparatus. A basket placedbetween the arms causes the arms to open and grasp the basket below thecircumferentially disposed flange of the basket with the complimentaryconfiguration of the arms. The flange itself causes the arms tosimultaneously pivot downwardly, the amount of which depends upon thethickness of the flange. The upward bias of the arms promotes theabutment of the top surface of the flange with the underneath surface soas to seal about the water openings and thus minimize the escape ofwater vapor during the brewing operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a grinder-brewer apparatus with whichthe present invention may be used;

FIG. 2 is a side view in schematic form demonstrating the positioning ofthe articulating arms of the present invention located on the housing ofthe grinder brewer just prior to insertion of a basket between the armsand illustrating the structure of the upper surface of each articulatingarm;

FIG. 3 is a view identical to that shown by FIG. 2 in which the brewbasket is being inserted between the articulating arms and causing adownward movement of the arms;

FIG. 4 is a view identical to that shown in FIG. 2 in which the brewbasket is positioned in is final position between the arms in which thearms press the basket upward against the underneath surface of thehousing of the grinder brewer;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view in schematic form demonstrating the articulatingarms of the present invention located on the housing of the grinderbrewer just prior to insertion of a brewing basket between the arms;

FIG. 6 is a view identical to that shown in FIG. 5 except that thebrewing basket is being inserted between the arms causing the arms tomove apart;

FIG. 7 is a view identical to that shown in FIG. 5 except that thebrewing basket is positioned in its final position or sealed between thearms;

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the articulating arms of the presentinvention without the housing of the grinder brewer present;

FIG. 9 is a front view of the support structure of the articulatingarms;

FIGS. 10-12 are side views of the articulating arm sub-assemblyprogressively being inserted into the housing of a grinder brewerbeverage apparatus;

FIG. 13 is a side sectional view of the articulating arm supportstructure in its operative position within the housing of a grinderbrewer beverage apparatus; and

FIG. 14 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 schematically showinga hot water tank, grinder and various openings in the underneath surfaceof the apparatus for distribution of the hot water and ground coffeeinto the basket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The perspective of FIG. 1 illustrates a beverage producing apparatus 10which may be, for example, a grinder brewer combination apparatus forthe grinding of coffee beans and the brewing of the resulting groundcoffee. Such apparatus are provided with components to store and heatwater, for transporting the heated water to a location where the wateris mixed with a particulate such as ground coffee, for grinding coffeebeans to produce the ground coffee, and for transporting the grounds toa region in which the grounds are mixed with water for brewing a coffeebeverage. FIG. 14 illustrates schematically the various elements of suchan apparatus.

A brewing basket 12 is positioned firmly against the underneath surface14 of apparatus 10 by a pair of arms shown generally by characternumeral 16. A decanter (not shown) is usually in position beneath basket12 on warming plate 18. The beans are stored in a hopper 20 which mayhave transparent walls 22 in part for viewing or may be bifurcated tohouse more than one type of coffee bean. The beans move from hopper 20into grinder 24, are ground, and then moved through opening 26 insurface 14 above basket 12 where the grounds are evenly distributed intobrewing basket 12 lined with a filter paper of choice. Hot water is thendistributed from a hot water tank 27 along hot water line 28 throughopenings 29 in surface 14 into brewing basket 12 and brewing commences.

As best seen in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, arms 16 extend through an opening(not shown) in the front wall 30 of apparatus 10 and are biased into asubstantially parallel relationship with respect to underneath surface14. Because each arm 16 is pivotally mounted (as discussed below) at apoint intermediate the ends thereof, it is simpler to discuss the armswith respect to the rear portion, i.e. the interior portion on the otherside of the pivot point and the front or exposed portion extending outfrom front wall 30. Each of the front portions 17 is provided with a topsurface 34 having a camming configuration or element 36. Each cammingelement 36 initially slopes upward from surface 34 at a point adjacentthe distal end of front portion 17. As perhaps best seen in FIGS. 5, 6,and 7, front portions 17 are curved to provide a region essentiallycomplimentary to the exterior surface of basket 12 for effectivegrasping thereof below flange 12a.

As basket 12 is pushed between the basket grasping front portions 17,the portions simultaneously move downward and spread apart. The formermotion is best seen in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 while the latter is depicted inFIGS. 5, 6, and 7. Initially, the basket is pushed between frontportions 17, causing a spreading of front portions 17 while flange 12aof brew basket 12 moves between front portions 17 and the underneathsurface 14 of the dispenser. After a short distance, flange 12a beginsto engage camming element 36, causing arms 16 to pivot downwardly asseen in FIG. 3. In its proper operating position between front portions17, basket 12 is pressed upward such that the rim of the basketcircumferentially abuts and provides a seal with underneath surface 14as shown in FIG. 4.

It is important that camming first occur at or near the first point ofengagement of front portions 17 with basket 12. Otherwise, the leadingedge of flange 12a may begin to descend relative to front portions 17and become tilted with respect to underneath surface 14. Thus, the frontparts of camming elements 36 are located near or at distal ends 38 andengages flange 12a at almost the point of insertion. Thus, some portionsof camming elements 36 are in contact with flange 12a continuously intothe sealed position of basket 12 in FIG. 4.

The operative relationship of the components of the articulating armsub-assembly of the present invention may be best understood byreference first to FIGS. 8 and 9. Arms 16 are shown pivotally mountedintermediate its ends about removable bolts 40 secured to a bracket 42.Bracket 42 has a pair of right angle flanges 44 each spaced slightlyfrom bolts 40. Extending outwardly from each flange 44 is a pivot pin 46with a cap 48 of greater diameter than the pivot pin shank secured tothe distal end thereof. A helical torsion spring 50 is wrapped about aportion of the shank of each pin 46. Each spring 50 is provided with adownwardly extending first leg 52 with outwardly turned distal ends 52a(adapted to be secured to the side of the housing of apparatus 10 asdescribed below) and a second leg 54 bent around and secured to the toppart of each flange 44.

The rear portions of each arm 16 are provided with a gear element 56inwardly canted with respect to the major axis of arms 16 permitting thegear elements 56 to operably engage or mesh. Additionally, each arm 16has an extension 58 positioned on front portions 17 to which a spring 60is secured biasing front portions 17 toward one another when no basketis positioned therebetween, i.e., the basket arm "closed position". Theclosed position is best seen in FIGS. 5 and 8. The operative engagementof the gear elements 56 ensure that front portions 17 move apartsimultaneously along the identical length of arc segment about bolts 40and thus that basket 12 is centered beneath surface 14.

Support bracket 42 extends beneath spring 60 and has an upwardly anddownwardly extending flange 62 that has opposite edges 64 and 66 servingas stops for front portions 17 in the closed position as seen in FIG. 8.The upper extension 62a of flange 62 serves as a guard for spring 60while the lower extension 62b serves as a mount for a switch 68positioned so as to have button 71 depressed when arms 16 are in theclosed position. Switch 68 provides, among other functions, a featurepreventing grinding and/or brewing from occurring when the basket iseither not placed between the arms or is incorrectly positioned. Thespecific features of the basket switch 68 are not part of this inventionand are explained in more detail in concurrently filed and commonlyassigned U.S. Application Serial Number (Attorney Docket 0001/207).

As seen in FIGS. 10-12, the sub-assembly comprising arms 16, the supportstructure, and biasing elements is easily mounted to the housing (showngenerally as character numeral 70). The sub-assembly is inserted asshown in FIG. 10 through an opening in the front of housing 70 so thatthe shanks of pins 46 can easily slide along slots 74 defined in sides72. The larger diameter caps 48 abut the outside surface of sides 72. Toinsert the sub-assembly into housing 70, the downwardly extending legs52 of spring 50 are pinched inwardly. When the sub-assembly is pushedagainst the back of slots 74, the shanks of pins 46 are caused to rideupward until they become positioned within openings 76 while theoutwardly turned distal ends 52a of legs 52 become registered with andpop into apertures 78 of housing sides 72. Once distal ends 52a areengaged with apertures 78, the articulating arm sub-assembly is securedin its operative position relative to housing 70.

Thus, when an operator of the apparatus initially urges a basket 12between the basket grasping front portions 17 of arms 16, front portions17 articulate horizontally outwardly against the inward biasing force ofspring 60 which together with meshing gears 56 maintain identical inwardpressure on the sides of basket 12 and the basket centered with respectto surface 14. Simultaneously, the entire sub-assembly is forceddownward by engagement of the lip or flange 12a of basket with the topsurface 34 and camming element 36 against the upward biasing forcesupplied by springs 50. Once the basket is pushed into position, thecurved region of front portions 17 grasp basket 12 just below flange12a. Under the force of springs 50, flange 12a is pressed into anabutting engagement with surface 14, providing for the sealing functiondiscussed above. The amount of downward pivot of the sub-assembly andfront portions 17 is largely a function of the thickness of the flange.

As is readily evident from the discussion above, the articulating armsof the present invention accept baskets of varying diameter withoutrequiring the manually adjustment of the arms and additionally urge thebasket of whatever diameter into an abutting engagement with theunderneath surface of apparatus 10 irrespective of the thickness of theflange 12a. The present invention provides an economical and universalsolution to the problem of varying basket diameter and flange thickness.

I claim:
 1. An improvement in an apparatus for the dispensing ofbeverages, said apparatus having a system for supplying and dispensingof a liquid over particulate beverage flavoring material located in abasket detachably secured to an underneath surface of said apparatus bya pair of arms associated with the frame of said apparatus, said armshaving front end portions biased for grasping said basket beneath asubstantially horizontal flange circumscribing the upper perimeter ofsaid basket, said underneath surface having openings for the dispensingof liquids therethrough into said basket when positioned beneath saidunderneath surface,said improvement comprising a sub-assembly structureremovably inserted into and attached to the apparatus and capable of apivoting movement in a substantially vertical plane, said sub-assemblystructure including said pair of arms biased into a rest position when abasket is not positioned therebetween, said front portions beingprovided with a surface for engaging said flange of said basket whensaid basket is pushed into position between said front end portions andbeneath said underneath surface, said support structure including saidarms being downwardly pivoted from said rest position proportionally tothe thickness of said flange thereby providing continuous upwardpressure against said flange and promoting a substantially gaseous tightseal about said openings independently of the thickness of said flange.2. The improvement of claim 1 in which said pair of arms are operativelyengaged to each other for movement in substantially the same plane andare commonly biased in said substantially the same plane so that saidfront end portions are urged toward each other into a closed position.3. The improvement of claim 2 in which each of said arms are pivotallymounted to a supporting bracket of said sub-assembly structure.
 4. Theimprovement of claim 3 in which said supporting bracket is pivotallymounted to said frame to provide movement of said sub-assembly in saidsubstantially vertical plane.
 5. The improvement of claim 4 including aspring element for biasing said supporting bracket and said sub-assemblytoward said rest position.
 6. The improvement of claim 5 in which saidspring element comprises a pair of springs with one distal end thereofsecured to said supporting bracket and a second distal end secured tothe frame of said apparatus.
 7. The improvement of claim 6 in which saidsprings are helical torsion springs circumscribing a pin fixed to andextending from a flange member of said supporting bracket.
 8. Theimprovement of claim 4 in which said arms are provided with connectinggearing for said concurrent movement in said substantially horizontalplane.
 9. The improvement of claim 8 in which a spring elementoperatively connects and biases said front end portions of said armstoward said closed position.
 10. An apparatus for the grinding of coffeebeans and the brewing of coffee from ground coffee includinga pair ofarticulating arms having front end portions for grasping and holding abasket beneath said apparatus, said basket having a flange of apredetermined thickness adapted to be inserted between an underneathsurface of said apparatus and upper surfaces of said portions of saidarms thereby providing a moisture seal about water distribution openingsin said underneath surface when said basket is positioned between saidportions of said arms, said front end portions essentially having aconfiguration essentially complimentary to the exterior surface of saidbasket abutting said front end portions, said arms mounted on asupporting bracket and being biased so as to pivot said front endportions toward one another for grasping said basket when insertedbetween said front end portions, said supporting bracket being pivotallymounted to said apparatus beneath said underneath surface and beingbiased upwardly toward said underneath surface thereby causing theflange of said basket when said basket is mounted between said front endportions to be pressed against said underneath surface.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 10 including a pair of biasing springs for upwardlybiasing said bracket.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which saidsprings are torsional springs, each of said springs having a firstdistal end connected to said bracket and a second distal end connectedto said apparatus.
 13. The apparatus of claim 10 in which each said armsare pivotally mounted to said bracket at a point intermediate said frontend portions and a distal end thereof, each of said distal ends of saidarms defining a gear element, said gear elements intermeshing with oneanother so that said front end portions move uniformly toward or awayfrom each other when pivoted, said apparatus further including a biasingelement connecting said arms to bias said front end portions of saidarms toward each other.
 14. The apparatus of claim 10 in which each saidfront end portions have a camming surface adapted to engage the flangeof said basket when inserted therebetween thereby causing said front endportions to yield downwardly to accept said flange and to press saidflange upwardly against the underneath surface of said apparatus toprovide the moisture seal about said water distribution openingsindependent of the thickness of the flange.
 15. The apparatus of claim14 in which said front end portions of said arms are curved toapproximate the curvature of a basket, said camming surface on each ofsaid front end portions extending around the curvature of said front endportions and ending near the end of said front end portions.